NEWS

01.12.2018

New Community Director appointed to Elephant and Castle Town Centre

A new Community Director has been appointed by the owners of the Elephant and Castle shopping centre to help traders relocate ahead of the planned redevelopment. Diana Barranco, who will be based full time at the shopping centre, will work with the existing project team to support the centre’s cafés and shops in finding a new home in and around Elephant & Castle.

Diana, who is fluent in Spanish and English, has over 10 years’ experience in identifying the potential for business growth and new opportunities in Latin America and emerging economies, for both UK public and private companies. She has also organised networking events promoting innovation in Latin America. Diana is looking forward to serving all independent traders at Elephant & Castle in the relocation process.

Commenting on the redevelopment plans, Diana said: “I truly believe the new town centre is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses and the wider local community. I fully appreciate the redevelopment of the shopping centre can be a challenge, however, I am keen to help the businesses in Elephant & Castle work through the changes in a positive way, making the most of new opportunities to thrive in the future. As a Colombian, I want to encourage a vibrant and exciting Latin business cluster in Elephant & Castle well beyond the delivery of this project.”

Diana has an Engineering degree from Universidad del Norte in Colombia and specialises in Business Management.

Coinciding with Diana’s appointment and location within the shopping centre, the Community Engagement Centre will open its doors for the last time on Friday, 14 December. The Community Engage Centre has served as an information point for the local community and businesses on plans regarding the new Elephant and Castle Town Centre through the planning period and beyond.

As the project moves into the next phase of delivery, Diana, alongside the wider project and centre teams, will provide the information and support needed to ensure traders continue to thrive in Elephant & Castle. This includes taking advantage of plans for Castle Square, a new pop-up shopping destination, which will deliver over 5,000 sq ft of shops, bars and cafes to Elephant & Castle. It will provide opportunities for many of the existing cafes and shops (and maybe even some new faces) during the planned redevelopment of the town centre.